Stapp Inspires Spotlight: The Inn Between

Welcome back to our Stapp Inspires Spotlight! Throughout the year we partner with different organizations that are making a positive impact on the community we live in. We are proud to turn a spotlight on these organizations and this time is no different. We would like to highlight The Inn Between of Longmont.

 

The Inn Between was founded in 1993 to address the needs of a diverse population of families and individuals experiencing homelessness by providing time limited housing with case management and life skills training to build their capacity to live self-sufficiently.

 

Each year, The Inn Between serves around 250 adults and children within the St. Vrain Valley. Homelessness in one of the most pressing issues facing our community. And it has the potential to touch everyone. From the aging couple that is facing insurmountable medical bills, to a single mom escaping domestic violence, there is a growing need for supportive housing services in our area. The Inn Between seeks to help fill the gap and set residents up with skills they need to attain sustainable housing.

 

The Inn Between recognizes the needs of the elderly in our community. This year they broke ground on the Micah Homes Project. This new permanent supportive housing project will include six homes, a community room, shared laundry and ongoing support services. This will help provide stability to some of our communities most vulnerable.

 

The Inn Between also provides support to students within the St. Vrain Valley School District. The Student Incentive Program aims to help homeless teens finish high school and provides life skills they will need as they move into adulthood.

 

The Inn Between’s programs have proven effective, with 92% of last year’s program graduates moving on to a more stable life. While at The Inn Between, residents are required to pay rent based on income, complete different life skill training classes and undergo progress reviews every 6 months to ensure they are on the path to self-sufficiency.

 

We hope you will continue to check back as we highlight the different programs The Inn Between provides to those who are facing homelessness. If you want to learn more or get involved check out https://www.theinnbetween.org

 

Stapp Inspires Educator Highlight – Building A Legacy

Welcome back to our Stapp Inspires Educator Highlight. Each month we highlight a different educator in the district who are making a positive impact on those around them. This month we visit Mollie Kelleher. Mollie is a Computer Science Teacher at Altona Middle School. She is in her fourth year at Altona and has been a part of the district for 17 years.

Mollie jokes she is a “recovering English teacher” having spent most of her career teaching English at a high school level. As our conversation moved from learning more about her background and what brought her to being a computer science teacher, glimpses of the legacy she is building started to shine. During her tenure as a high school English teacher in Montana, she noticed how many students needed remedial help. Instead of staying still she applied for and won a grant to establish a family literacy program. This program’s intent was to help students early in their academic career and reduce the need for remedial help later on.

Mollie lights up when talking about her current teaching role at Altona. She is having the time of her life at this point in her career. She confidently and gracefully accepts that she is no longer the expert in the room, and she is learning right along with her students. She wants her students not to be afraid of technology, but rather make it their tool. ‘Leading by example’ is her encouragement not only to her students but her co-workers as well.

Her passion for this space is amplified when she talks about her desire to reach and teach more young women and minority students in this field. She actively recruits these students for her coursework and helps them discover a pathway to a future career. Currently, she’s working on a video with these students to encourage even more students to explore these career paths.

Mollie’s passion extends to her co-workers, freely sharing her knowledge and skills. Mollie took me on a little tour of the school, specifically to the maker room. We walked in and students were using a design development tool called Agile Scrum. Students create projects, assign tasks and complete projects. Mollie attended a conference where she became an Agile Scrum Master. She came back and started a professional learning team at Altona and brought this back to her co-workers. As we walked back to the library to finish up our interview, we stopped by another teacher’s room where they had several scrum boards up and running.

As she goes throughout her day she leaves a little bit of inspiration in each room to challenge what is possible, to test limits and be comfortable doing so. Her legacy will be in helping students and co-workers to find their passions and directions.

Mollie, thank you for taking the time to meet with us, and we wish you all the best!